CGGS Dramatic Society on Tour Huck Finn in Italy

Huckleberry Finn in Italy

Dramatic Society on Tour

Naples and Rome

For the second year we were invited by the Associazione Culturale " Romeo Collalti " to take part in their annual youth drama festival in Rome.

Our musical version of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was presented in the prestigious (and very large) Teatro Quirino, normally the main venue for classical theatre in the city.

Once again board and lodging were provided by the Associazione at the Foro Italico youth hostel, where we also gave an evening performance of the show in the garden.

We received awards for our show not only from the Associazione but also from the Regional Tourist Board and the Italian Youth Hostel Association who sponsor the festival.

We also took the show to the Convitto Nazionale School in the centre of Naples where the reception was riotous, the cast having to be kept in the dressing room at the end of the show while adoring female fans clamoured at the door.

Accommodation was provided for us at the Convitto and the enthusiasm and friendliness of the welcome we received there cannot be described.

Our students were challenged to innumerable games of football and volleyball, visited lessons, were interviewed by the school magazine, shown some of the sights of the city and were treated royally.

We would have loved to stay longer.

We would like to thank Dr Collalti of the Associazione, the Principal, teachers (especially 'Sandy') and educatori at the Convitto in Naples and Signora Bertali, Italian consul in Liverpool for all their help in arranging the trip. None of us will ever forget it.

Thanks must also go to Arthur Andersen Business Consulting, Bell,Lamb and Joynson, Solicitors, Marplo Ltd. and Marcus Hasted Cars for their generosity in sponsoring our trip and to Dan, Stewart and Martin of Off The Ground Productions who transported all our props and musical instruments to Italy and helped in all sorts of ways to make the trip a success.

The cast :

Huck Finn Joe Wilkins
Jim James Saunders
The Duke Luke Gibbard
The King Phil Birss
Widow Douglas Lindsay Rodden
Miss Watson Leanne Townley
Tom Sawyer David Williams
Joe Harper Craig Leyland
Silas Phelps Andrew Byron
Musicians Alex Galloway
Graeme Duncan
Peter Kirwan
Mark Kirwan
Andrew Whittle
Musical Director Carol Davies
Director Randall Lewton
Assistant Director Sandra Jones
Stage Managers Mark Doran
Adam Chesters

Huck Finn	Joe Wilkins
Jim	James Saunders
The Duke	Luke Gibbard
The King	Phil Birss
Widow Douglas	Lindsay Rodden
Miss Watson	Leanne Townley
Tom Sawyer	David Williams
Joe Harper	Craig Leyland
Silas Phelps	Andrew Byron
Musicians	Alex Galloway
	Graeme Duncan
	Peter Kirwan
	Mark Kirwan
	Andrew Whittle
Musical Director	Carol Davies
Director	Randall Lewton
Assistant Director	Sandra Jones
Stage Managers	Mark Doran
	Adam Chesters